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Welcome to the website for Union Chapter No. 7 Royal Arch Masons.
Union Chapter No. 7 R.A.M. meets on the 2nd Monday of every month except
the months of July & August. We meet in Essex Lodge No. 7 located at 8
Smull Ave. Caldwell, NJ 07006. Dinner is served at 6:30 PM with our
Convocation beginning promptly at 7:30 PM.

History of Royal Arch Masonry

The Royal Arch Degrees was considered most important in the early years
of Freemasonry and so dogmatic was the Mother Grand Lodge - from which
all Speculative Masonry derives - that in 1813, when the two grand
lodges in England united, a firm and solemn landmark was adopted and
placed in the Articles of Union to guide Masons throughout the world
forever on this matter: "Pure Ancient Freemasonry consists of but three
degrees, viz., that of Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, and Master
Mason, including the Supreme Order of the Holy Royal Arch." The landmark
has never been changed and to this day no other degree has been
officially recognized by the Mother Grand Lodge and every rite, system
or additional degree in Freemasonry cannot confer its degree on a Master
Mason until he has received the Royal Arch Degree. Naturally, this is as
it should be, because a man is not a Master Mason until he receives the
Master's Word and he can only receive it in the Royal Arch. The Chapter
of Royal Arch Masonry consists of four degrees, Mark Master, Past
Master, Most Excellent Master, and Royal Arch Mason.

Degrees

Royal Arch Masonry is the first order a Master Mason joins in the York Rite. The Chapter works the following degrees:

The Mark Master Mason degree is in some respects an extension of the
Fellow Craft degree. In some jurisdictions the degree is
conferred in a Fellow Craft Lodge, that is, the second degree of the
Blue Lodge.

The (Virtual) Past Master degree is conferred because of the
traditional requirement that only Past Masters of a Blue Lodge may be
admitted to Holy Royal Arch. Because there are so many applicants for
this degree, Virtual Past Master is required to qualify them for it.
Much of the work is the same given to install the Worshipful Master of a
Blue Lodge. There is no such requirement or procedure outside the USA.

In the Most Excellent Master degree the building of King Solomon's
Temple, which figures so prominently in Blue Lodge, has been completed.
In England the degree is conferred by Cryptic Councils, along with three
other degrees.

The Royal Arch Mason (or Holy Royal Arch) degree is considered by many to be the most beautiful degree in all of Freemasonry.
The newly exalted Companion learns the true "Master's word" in this degree.

If you are a Master Mason and want some more information on the York
Rite, click here for a
brochure produced by the York Rite of Texas which contains some very
useful information.